Dekyiling Tibetan Handicraft Centre Crèche
Dekyiling 1980s
Artisans workshop
A workshop was built, paid by TRAS, where skilled artisans could work and train newly arrived refugees. At the same time, a crèche (or day care centre) was built for the babies and toddlers of the young women in training. Today, their weaving and tailoring continue to be the main source of income in the community. The crèche allows the women to work full-time, while two ayas (care-givers) provide the toddlers with an early education, loving care, and good nutrition. Kindergarten children come to the crèche after school. Boiled milk, fruit and vitamin supplements give these children the extras needed for good health.
Nap time
At present there are 30 children in the crèche: babies, toddlers and kindergarten-aged children. Although the weavers are paid for what they produce, their incomes are not sufficient to pay for costs of the crèche. Very few of these young parents from Bhutan and Tibet have older family members to care for their children, so TRAS has stepped in to help. Supporting the crèche gives a good start to the children, training and self-respect to their mothers, and an income for their families.
